On-Screen Adventures
by momoxtoshiro
Summary: Director Ozpin and his crew are filming a fantasy-world TV series. The teenaged actresses and actors love their roles, but also have their own stories to tell. [Acting AU].
1. Blake and Yang

**This is a reward for s22132! A very fun and interesting concept I was excited to write! Each chapter will focus on a different pairing c:**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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On-Screen Adventures

Act 1. Blake and Yang

Blake lie helplessly on her back, weaponless and terrified. Everything is in disarray all around her; the school had been pillaged, the monsters are loose, her teammates are missing-

And Adam is here.

He stands towering over her with his face concealed by the mask, his sword red and hungry for blood. Blake whimpers and moans, begging him to stop, but he won't hear it. He leans over her with a smirk to show his fangs.

"I'm going to destroy everything you love..."

That's when Blake's ear flicks at the sound of another familiar voice, one that's much more terrifying to hear right now.

"Blake!"

She makes the mistake of turning her head, of glimpsing Yang on the other side of the debris, searching for her. Adam looks too. Blake gasps when she realizes what she's done.

"No-"

He smiles wickedly,

"Starting with _her_."

"_No_-!"

Adam raises his sword high and brings it down on her. Blake screams, and Yang's eyes turn red.

"_Get away from her!_"

She charges, and Blake can only lie helplessly on the ground, cringing in agony.

"No... p-please no..."

Adam swings his sword again – this time at Yang – and a spray of red fills her vision. Yang slumps to the floor and is still.

It's all Blake's fault. She has to go to her. She has to-

"Cut!"

"Oh, thank god..." Blake sits herself up and wipes the sweat and tears off her face. Next to her, Yang does the same.

"Nice!" She grins up at Adam. "That was a perfect fight!"

"You think so?" He smiles his usual grin now and removes the mask needed for acting, revealing his blue eyes and red hair. "I feel like I was a little off on that final swing."

"You kiddin'?" Yang laughs. "That was epic! Definitely believable, even without the prop arm being thrown in!"

The three of them relax a little bit now after cut has been called. The people backstage on the set being chatting and muttering about the shot, including Ozpin himself, the director. He reviews the take with his assistants and co-producers Glynda, James, and Salem, while the actors get themselves situated.

Adam offers Yang his hand and pulls her up. Yang then turns back to do the same for Blake. Blake smiles, but has to wipe the fake blood off her hand before accepting.

"Are you okay?" Blake asks Yang as she's pulled to her feet. "It looked like you actually hit the floor pretty hard."

"Nah, I'm fine! Adam and I've practiced that stunt a million times. I'm glad we finally nailed it."

"_Finally_," he sneers playfully. "We could've had it two days ago if you hadn't kept _laughing_ halfway through."

"Hey, I can't help it! Your bad-guy schpeal is just too much sometimes. As if you could ever hurt a fly."

"Hey, I've killed at least two flies before."

"Oh, wow, _excuse_ me."

Blake smiles as the two of them banter playfully. It's always been amusing to her how they played mortal enemies on the screen, but backstage they were the best of friends. She tunes back into their bickering for the moment when Yang calls for her.

"Blake, be real! Has this softie ever _actually_ killed a fly?"

"I did!" he defends, looking to Blake for help. "Back in grade school. There was that one time it was bothering you cuz of the noise, so I swatted it. And then the other time there was one near your food!"

"Well..." Blake hums. "You definitely killed that first one. But the second one I think you just stunned."

"What-?"

"Yeah... I kinda just let you believe you killed it..."

"What the hell, Blake?"

Yang laughs out loud and gives Adam a hard pat on the back.

"Well, you got at least one kill under your belt, dude."

Adam grumbles about wanting some water and slinks away. Once he's out of earshot, Blake steps closer to Yang.

"Actually, he didn't kill that one, either."

"Oh my god-"

But before Yang can call out to tease him, she's interrupted by another voice.

"Yaaaang!"

"Oof- jeez, Ruby!" Her little sister nearly bowls her off her feet with the running hug she throws at her. Yang just barely manages to catch her and keep them both on their feet. Ruby is half-giggling and half-wailing into her sister's shoulder.

"That was sooooo good! Uwaah, I can't believe your character's gonna lose an arm after this! I wonder if they're gonna give her a robot arm or something next season!"

"Guess we'll find out."

Blake enjoys the sight of the sisters for a moment; she always knows that Ruby is dying off-stage during any of Yang's big scenes because she just wants to rush in and hug her. But Blake always earns a bit of praise as well. She turns to find Weiss hurrying over, slightly flustered.

"Blake! Goodness, it looked like he actually stabbed you!"

"Then it was a good shot." Blake purrs and opens her arms to give Weiss a squeeze. Out of all their friends and fellow cast members, Weiss is the one who tends to get the most nervous about stunts that could accidentally cause actual injuries. She's always on the edge of her seat worrying until Ozpin calls cut so she can confirm no one actually got hurt.

When Blake eases back, her ears droop in apology when she notices she got a bit of her fake blood onto Weiss' clothes.

"Sorry."

"Oh, it's fine. My character's been fighting monsters all day by this point. She can use a bit of blood on her. Now come on then, all of you. Have some water before we begin the next scene."

"Oh, yeah!" Ruby chirps. "Soon I'll get to do my scene fighting with Neo and Mr. Torchwick on the top of the Air Ship surrounded by flying Grimm!"

"Don't remind me..."

The four of them head off set for now to have some refreshments. A group of their friends and fellow actors is standing there waiting for them to praise Blake and Yang for their work.

Even though Penny's character was recently killed off, she's still sticking around the set to watch the filming. Now, she scurries around to hand out waters.

"For you, and for you! And here you are, Blake!"

"Thanks, Penny."

"Oh! It seems that was our last one! I'll have to go and fetch some more!"

"No," Blake stops her. "Don't worry about it, Penny. Yang can have some of mine... if she wants." She looks shyly up at her friend, ears lowered. Yang grins back.

"Thanks, partner." She accepts the bottle from Blake and takes a few sips, then hands it back to her. Blake feels her face turning red.

"A-Actually, I'm not thirsty anymore-"

"Oh my god, are you _serious?_" Adam cuts her off. "Blake, would you come here for a second? We need to talk."

Blake flashes a glance at Yang and the others who shrug, before making her way over to him. Adam puts a hand on her shoulder and steers her out of earshot. Blake is about to say something, but before she can, he headbutts her directly on the forehead.

"Ow-! Adam!"

"You're driving me nuts!" he hisses. "When are you gonna make your move on her, for Pete's sake? If you keep pussyfooting around you'll never get anywhere!"

"Please don't say that word. And you know it's not that easy!" she counters. "What if it makes things awkward? We still have several more seasons left to shoot together."

"Blake, the only one making things awkward is you when you keep brushing this off. Just tell her already! I'm _pretty_ sure she'll be cool with it..."

Blake's ears perk up, then flatten instantly.

"Did you tell her? You didn't tell her did you? Adam, please, I asked you-"

"Calm down, idiot." He knocks his fist lightly against her head. "I didn't tell her. What do you take me for?"

"Sorry..."

Adam heaves a sigh and lowers his voice a little.

"Listen, I've known you for what, twelve years now?"

"Thirteen."

"Sure, fine. Point is, we got this job and started working together almost three years ago, right? Well for the past three years I've been watching you beat around the bush since the second you met her. I'm pretty sure everyone knows by now how you feel about her, Blake. The character you play might be cool and broody, but I hate to say that _you're_ not the best at hiding things."

Blake's face only gets redder, and she has to cover it with both hands.

Adam sighs. "Exactly."

"I just... don't wanna hurt her..."

"Blake, the only one you're hurting is me, because I'm about to _vomit_."

She punches him in the arm and he laughs.

"C'mon, seriously. Just spit it out, would you? For all our sakes. Sun and those morons have been placing bets for months now."

"What-?"

But before Blake can hear more, Adam has already turned her around and started pushing her back toward the group. Yang spots them and grins as they make it over.

"Oh, hey! Ozpin just said that's a wrap for today! We're gonna finish up our scene and then start on Ruby's tomorrow."

"Great," Adam sighs, taking off his prop sword. "Can't wait for this episode to air. The fans are gonna come at me with pitchforks..."

"Hey, don't sweat it, bud." Yang gives him a nudge with her elbow that makes him stumble. "If they give you any problems, just leave 'em to me. I'll straighten 'em out and tell 'em you've literally never even killed a fly."

"I told you, I did!"

"All right, enough!" Weiss interjects. "Go shower and get cleaned up, all of you! We can all go to bed early tonight."

"Pshh uhh, I think you mean stay up late and play more video games!" Ruby shouts. The majority of their friends like Jaune, Nora, and Sun all agree.

As they all break into various groups and conversations, Blake catches Adam's eye. He gives her a compelling look and jabs his chin toward Yang.

Blake feels her heart backflip. He's right. She's known Yang for three years now, and she'd been smitten with her at first sight. And then filming together with her, getting to know her personality, late-night conversations in their trailer, and weekend outings on their days off...

She'd just fallen more and more in love with her to the point where now it's almost unbearable to keep quiet. She just doesn't want to lose what she has with her-

"Hey, Blake?"

Yang's voice has Blake's ears perking up again. She lifts her face with a gasp to find Yang right there.

"S-Sorry, I-"

"Whoa, whoa, what's the matter? Are you crying? For real?" Yang reaches out to brush her palm across Blake's cheek. Blake forgets how to breathe.

But sure enough, she can feel water in her eyes, and the fake drops Glynda had given her before had definitely run out by now. She can't lift her face because it would mean meeting Yang's eyes, but keeping her head bowed only makes the tears fall more quickly.

"I'm fine, I-I just-"

"Hold on a sec. Let's go sit down somewhere, kay? You should really drink something."

Yang picks up the water bottle from earlier and takes it with her before wrapping her other arm across Blake's shoulders. She leads her quietly away from the group and over to a bench nearby.

Blake's heart is a mess in her chest. She'd just wanted to say it outright, but now that she's started crying she knows it won't stop.

And Yang's only making it more difficult; her soft, caring side is one of the things Blake loves most about her, so for Yang to be doing this for her right now is only making Blake more emotional.

They sit down on the bench together as Blake tries to compose herself. She hears Glynda asking what's wrong, but Yang reassures her for the time being.

Blake takes in a few steadying breaths and lets them out slowly. Yang keeps an arm around her all the while, rubbing her shoulders.

"Hey, you okay? C'mon, have some water."

Yang hands her the bottle and Blake sniffles. It's the one Yang had drank from earlier. Blake's heart is already so much of a mess it couldn't possibly get any worse. So she accepts the indirect kiss and takes a few sips, trying to coach herself to say what she needs to.

But every time she's about to say it, Yang throws her off with that concerned tone.

"You didn't actually get hurt did you? All that blood's fake, yeah? Did you hit your head on the fall?"

"Yang-" Blake all but chokes out her name, almost smiling at how pathetic and humorous it all is. She keeps trying so hard and then Yang keeps thwarting her without even knowing it. Blake puts the bottle aside and exhales again. "I'm fine. Honestly. I'm not hurt. I promise."

Yang just gives her a puppy-eyed look.

"Then why are you crying? Are they killing your character off? Are you gonna be leaving the set? Cuz we can still see each other-"

"Yang." Blake half-sobs and half-laughs, ears slowly lifting. "It's not that. I just... wanted to ask you something..."

"Huh? Me?" She straightens up. "Sure, anything."

Blake draws in another breath.

"I was just wondering... if you'd want to go to dinner with me tonight?"

"...Huh?" Yang blinks and tilts her head. "I mean sure, yeah! I think Ruby and Jaune and them are going to that new place downtown-"

"I didn't mean with them," Blake mumbles. "I was thinking... just us...?"

"Oh..." Yang's mouth drops open. "_Oh_."

She's quiet for a minute, and Blake feels her chest tightening up. She squeezes her eyes shut to prevent any more tears from falling, and waits for the verdict.

_This is it. I've ruined our friendship. It's all over-_

"Oh my god-!" Yang's voice rises up into a high-pitched squeal. "Oh my god, oh my god! Did you just ask me out?"

"Huh?" Blake looks back up nervously. "I-I uh-"

"Yes!" Yang cries. "A million times yes, Blake!"

The next thing Blake knows, Yang's thrown both arms around her and is crushing her into a tight hug. She blinks, not understanding if it's real or not.

"Yang...?"

"Oh my god. I've been wanting to ask you out, like, since we met, honestly. But I was just so nervous! I didn't wanna make things awkward. Ruby and Weiss kept telling me I should just do it, but-"

"W-Wait-" Blake eases back a little to look into her eyes. "You... You like me, too?"

"You didn't know?" Yang gapes. "Ruby said it was painfully obvious, and Weiss said everyone else already knew..."

"That's what Adam said, too."

"_Adam_ knows? Oh god-"

They both revel in the fuzzy embarrassment of it all, hearts fluttering. At last, their eyes meet again.

"So then..." Blake mumbles. "That's a yes...?"

"Did I not say it enough times? Yes, it's a yes!" Yang pulls her into another tight hug and sighs.

Blake finally exhales as well. Her heart feels like it's skipping on clouds. She cries a few more tears only to find Yang has started crying too.

It takes them both a few moments to compose themselves enough to pull apart, though their hands come together. Then it finally hits them.

"So, uh-" Yang clears her throat. "I should probably go shower first."

"Oh! Me, too..."

"C-Can I walk you back to your trailer?"

"Yang, we share a trailer, remember?"

"Oh. Right."

Another beat of silence passes. Both girls smile and make eye contact for half a second again.

"Should we tell the others we won't be joining them...?" Blake wonders.

"Yeah. Good idea."

They stand together, still hand-in-hand, and slowly start making their way to the group. Everyone is still chatting and strolling slowly back toward the trailers. Yang clears her throat and calls out to her little sister.

"Hey, Ruby-"

"Finally! Yeesh, Yang what took you guys so-_ohmygoshyou'reholdinghands_!"

All other conversation immediately stops.

"What?!" Sun yells. "Hah, I knew it! Jaune, you owe me big!"

"Aw, come on! It took you guys _this_ long to confess? Guess I'm paying for dinner..."

"You oafs!" Weiss chides the boys. "I can't believe you placed bets!"

"Wowzers, it's about time!" Nora sings.

"It's certainly been a long time coming," Pyrrha agrees.

As the excitement and commotion continues, Blake catches Adam's eye and mouths him a 'thank you'. He rolls his eyes and makes a playful gagging expression.

Eventually, Yang and Blake manage to tell the others they'll be having their first dinner date together tonight, and they all wish them well.

The two of them head back to the trailer they share with Ruby and Weiss, still holding hands. Blake is quiet, still unable to believe it was really happening.

"Oh man," Yang whistles. "Pinch me. No wait, don't. If it's a dream I don't wanna wake up."

"It's not a dream, Yang."

"You're right; it's a dream _come true!_" She pulls Blake close and gives her a little twirl. "Oh! I wonder if I ask Ozpin if he'll write in some romance for our characters into the script!"

"That... might be nice..."

"We can kill off Adam's guy together or something!"

"Yang, please slow down."

"Sorry."

Blake chuckles and keeps close to her until the reach the trailer.

That night, they end up having a very nice dinner date, and when they get back to the trailer they curl up in the same bed together.

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**A/N: So there you have it! This is going to be my Acting AU (hence the chapter titles.) As requested by my patron, each chapter is going to deal with a pair of different characters within the AU.**

**The idea of writing Nice Guy Adam was both challenging and fun to me. Because of course he isn't actually a good guy, but I liked getting to explore the idea of him being one, sort of like how I wrote Cinder as a a good person in Cinder Falls For Ruby Rose. I think we all know that kind of actor who plays a horrible villain on-screen but irl is a super nice person.**

**Please review!**


	2. Ruby and Weiss

**Continuing with the next two girls!**

**This AU is a bit tricky since I'm trying to write almost every single character in some way, but I'm trying my best! I thought it would be too complicated to give them different names from the characters they're playing though, so the characters will just share the same names as the actors.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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Chapter 2. Ruby and Weiss

Ruby, Weiss and the others enjoy their evening out together. Even without Blake and Yang with them like usual, they still take up 4 tables at the restaurant.

They eat, chat, and laugh for nearly two hours before heading back for the night and going their separate ways at the trailers. Ruby and Weiss head to theirs together.

"Man, I'm full!" Ruby yawns.

"I should think so, after that burger, all those fries, and _three_ chocolate milkshakes. Just don't get sick tonight before your scene tomorrow."

"Aw, Weiss you know you don't have to worry about that! I'm a pro at eating junk food and not getting sick!"

"What a valuable life skill..."

As they reach the trailer, Weiss pulls out her key to let them in. The lights inside are mostly off, save for just the bathroom light and a lamp in the main room.

They find Blake and Yang curled up together in the bedroom on Blake's bottom bunk bed, and Weiss has to slap her hand over Ruby's mouth to stifle her squeal. They grab their sleep clothes and then retreat back towards the main room.

"Ohmygosh!" Ruby whispers. "It finally happened, Weiss! I still can't believe it!"

"Indeed, it was about time. But I still can't believe you people placed bets..."

"But wasn't it nice to have Jaune pay for everything tonight~?"

Weiss rolls her eyes.

"Just go get changed."

They take turns in the bathroom brushing their teeth and getting ready for bed, opting to wait until morning to shower. By the time Weiss has finished brushing her hair and exited the bathroom, Ruby has already retreated to the bedroom.

But Weiss doesn't find her up top on her own bunk bed like she should be. Instead, Ruby is sprawled out on Weiss' bed, already half-asleep. Weiss snorts and sits down on Ruby's legs, making her whine.

"Mmnn Weeeiiissss-"

"Go to your own bed, you dolt."

"Waaah, no faaair! Blake and Yang get to cuddle! I wanna sleep with you toniiiight..."

Weiss contemplates for a moment. If she was really that opposed to sleeping next to Ruby, she'd either have to relocate herself or force the partially-conscious girl to move. And in spite of what people said about her, Weiss isn't actually so cold-hearted. She heaves a sigh and moves herself off Ruby's ankles.

"Fine. You're lucky I'm too tired to chase you off."

"Hmmm you wouldn't do that~"

Weiss rolls her eyes again, but says nothing. She gets up and maneuvers Ruby around enough to pull down the blankets and nudge her underneath. Weiss lies down beside her, but before she can even begin getting settled, Ruby is already latched onto her chest.

"Mmm, Weiss you're so nice and warmmm~"

"Hush. You have a big day tomorrow, so go to sleep."

Despite her colder words, her face heats up a little. She begrudgingly wraps both arms around Ruby's back and huffs out a breath before closing her eyes.

Within minutes, the RWBY trailer is snuggled up warmly together and fast asleep.

* * *

Weiss is woken from her peaceful sleep the next morning by an excessively energetic Ruby, who is nearly bouncing all around the trailer in her excitement about filming her scene today.

Blake and Yang are coyly quiet throughout breakfast, giving minimal details about their date. But judging by how close they're staying and by how they keep smiling and blushing, it's clear to tell things are going well between them.

Weiss is happy for them, but most of her attention is occupied by Ruby this morning. She just keeps yapping away about how she can't wait to film her scene today. Even after they've gotten changed and exited the trailer, Ruby is still going on about it.

"It's gonna be _so_ cool! I'll be fighting Mr. Torchwick _and_ Neo _and_ a bunch of flying monsters at the same time! It's gonna be kinda sad when Mr. Torchwick gets eaten though..."

"Sad for us, perhaps," Weiss agrees. "But I'm sure the audience will be thrilled."

"You think so? I always thought his villain wasn't such a bad guy. He's funny at least! But I guess it's the only way to write him off. Mr. Torchwick's business is really taking off now, so I'm sad he's gonna be leaving the set, but I'm also really happy for him!"

"I feel the same," Weiss says. "Now come on then, let's hurry up and go see my sister."

Weiss' own sister Winter was also a part of the crew of actors. Her character didn't get a lot of screen time, majorly because her main job was as a makeup artist. The same went for their friends Coco and Velvet, who attended school for it at young ages.

Presently, the RWBY trailer heads over to the makeup artists for their turn this morning. As they go, they greet their fellow co-workers.

Ruby spots her father and her uncle talking together, and takes off to say good morning. Her dog, Zwei, who is normally kept and cared for in her father's trailer, is out and about yipping happily when he spots her.

Weiss waves Blake and Yang to go on ahead of them as she waits for Ruby. When the brunette finally does come scampering back, Weiss grabs her by the hood and starts dragging her off.

"Come on. You're going to be late for your own scene."

"Sorry!"

Weiss pulls Ruby into Winter's trailer, wishing her older sister a good morning in the process.

"Good morning to you, too," Winter replies. "I hear we're shooting Miss Rose's big air ship scene today."

"Yeah!" Ruby pipes as Winter begins powdering her face. "It's gonna be so cool! Gosh, can you imagine if the props they made for this show _actually_ worked like _real_ weapons?"

"I'd really rather not," Weiss mutters.

"Whaaaat? But they'd be so cool!"

"And highly dangerous."

"Weiss, you're no fuuuunn."

It only takes Winter about ten minutes to get them both ready before she sends them off. Ruby is all but buzzing.

Once they make it onto the set, Ozpin, Glynda and Salem greet them and begin going over the day's objectives. Props are passed out to whomever is going to need them, and everyone begins getting ready.

Ozpin decides to shoot scenes of lesser action first, including one of Weiss where her character saves Velvet's from a rogue robot. They get through it on the first take and Ozpin is satisfied.

In the meantime, Ruby is going over her mock fight scenes with Neo and Roman, while her father and uncle observe. The stunt professionals and trainers are James, Oobleck and Port, who are always giving tips to Ruby on how to hold and angle her weapon to make things look believable.

Production and shooting starts off as it always does, with various groups of people going over their own agenda. They film Adam's character's exit scene for the end of the season, as well as several scenes involving Cinder, Emerald and Mercury. They're gradually building up to the death of Pyrrha's character, as she will soon be leaving the crew to pursue a career in modeling. But like Penny, she'll be dropping by to visit and hang out with her friends as often as possible.

By lunchtime, they've successfully filmed several scenes and are on-schedule as necessary. Ruby is so excited to start filming her fight scene she barely stops talking enough to eat. Weiss has to chide and remind her several times.

At long last Ozpin calls for Ruby, and she takes off like a bullet. Weiss, Blake, Yang and a handful of the others who are free at the time make their way over to observe.

Roman and Neo get into position on the set opposite Ruby. The platform is a form of transportation constructed in the fantasy world they're filming about, called an air ship. While fending off the two villains, Ruby will also need to avoid flying griffons, which will be added in with CGI later on in production.

Weiss has watched Ruby practice with Neo and Roman a dozen times already, but it's surely going to prove a bit difficult once the cameras are rolling for real. As she takes a seat on one of many fold-up chairs around the perimeter, Weiss begins muttering to herself.

"Please let everything go smoothly..."

Yang and Blake sit beside her to watch.

"Weiss, calm down," Yang assures her. "She'll be fine like always."

Weiss glares at her briefly; as Ruby's older sister, she knows Yang is worried about her too for crazier scenes and stunts like these. But she always tries to shrug things off. She doesn't start worrying until something actually happens, unlike Weiss who tends to worry first and foremost. She heaves a sigh.

"I just wish Ozpin had written a different weapon for her character. That scythe is so excessively huge, and Ruby's one of the youngest actors we've got. Why couldn't he have given her character the bow and arrows, or the sword?"

"Weiss, chill. You know she's always been super athletic and smart. And besides, she _loves_ that thing. Once the prop team has to make a new one she's gonna beg to keep the old one. She already has the prototype."

"I'm sorry, but speaking about your sister holding sharp, potentially-deadly objects isn't helping my situation right now."

"Oh, sorry."

"Guys," Blake says. "They're starting."

Weiss falls silent and gives her full attention to the actors on-set.

In real life, Roman Torchwick is a successful and witty businessman, so it's almost humorous how his character is a conman and a villain. Either way, he delivers his lines and taunts Ruby with the perfect amount of smugness and charm.

Neo doesn't speak, and her character is much the same, but where the actress differs from the villain is that she is actually a very sweet and surprisingly funny girl, not at all a kniving thief.

Weiss watches them go through the usual motions of filming, including various calls to cut, a lot of camera movement, and the addition of large stuffed animals tied to poles, which fill in for the monsters.

Ruby has always insisted on doing her own stunts. Her family members had all worried profusely at first, but over time had come to accept the fact that she was really quite skilled with it.

Weiss, on the other hand, had never stopped fretting.

Even now, she's on the edge of her folding seat as Ruby swings around her giant prop scythe, shouting and grunting as she goes through the motions. She jumps back when Roman swings his cane at her, and then twists and dodges a strike from Neo's umbrella. All the while she's pretending to fire shots at the griffons and cleave a few heads.

Weiss has gotten absorbed in her performance, imagining the storyline in her head and envisioning what it will look like once it's airing on television.

She's almost forgotten about worrying for half a second when Ruby suddenly lands awkwardly from a jump. She yelps, her boot snagging on a jutting piece of the air ship. The weight of her prop pushes her down, and a loud thud echoes throughout the stage. Weiss' heart stops dead in her throat.

"Ruby!"

"Cut!" Ozpin calls a second later. Glynda and Salem are already rushing forward, and Roman and Neo are stunned in shock.

But Weiss is faster than anyone, even Yang. She darts forward onto the set and drops down next to Ruby, hauling the scythe off of her and helping her sit up.

"Ruby? Ruby? Are you all right? Did you hit your head? Are you bleeding? You _dolt_, I swear to god-"

"Ahhh, Weiss, I'm fine, I'm fine! I think I bruised my elbow at best!"

But Weiss isn't listening.

"How many times have I told you to get a stunt-double? You're lucky you didn't split your head open with that thing-"

"Weiss!" Ruby cuts her off by throwing both arms around Weiss and hugging her tightly. Only then does Weiss realize there are tears running down her own face. She hiccups softly and hugs Ruby back, defiantly burying her face in the girl's shoulder. She hears Ruby chuckle softly.

"Weiss, you don't have to cry."

"Quiet, you dunce..."

By this point the others have reached them, and Ruby reassures everyone she's fine. Sure enough, there's only a very minor bruise on her arm and nothing more. The adults help her up and check her over, while Blake and Yang steady Weiss and give her some water. Roman looks over the faulty piece of the set that had caused the accident.

"You all right there, Red?"

"Yes, Mr. Torchwick! I'm ready to kick your butt!"

"Like to see ya try, squirt."

Ruby chuckles, then directs her attention to Neo. Her pink and brown eyes are swimming with concern, asking a million silent questions. She doesn't need to sign with her hands for Ruby to understand.

"I'm okay! Don't worry!" She pulls her friend into a hug, and Neo sighs in relief.

"Are you sure you're all right, Miss Rose?" Ozpin asks.

"Yeah!" she grins. "I'm totally fine!"

"That's my girl," Tai Yang says, ruffling her hair. "Tough as nails!"

"Ya gave us a scare there, kiddo," Qrow comments.

"Sorry. But I'm okay to keep going!"

"Ruby..." Yang calls for her a bit pointedly. When Ruby looks up, she spots her older sister nodded toward Weiss. Blake has sat her back down on the chairs to help her calm down, but she's still wiping tears away. Ruby gulps.

"Oh. Can I have a minute, Mr. Ozpin?"

The man smiles.

"Of course."

Ruby hurries over to her best friend as Blake knowingly takes her leave. Weiss tries to glare up at Ruby, but with the tears in her eyes Ruby feels more like giggling than repenting. A little chuckle actually slips free, and Weiss snorts in response.

"Ruby-"

"Sorry! I'm sorry! I shouldn't be laughing. You were really worried about me." She hugs Weiss again, rubbing her hands quickly up and down her back. "You're always worrying about me. Thanks, Weiss. But... maybe try to worry a little less sometimes...? Just so you don't scare yourself to death, y'know?"

Weiss lets out a long breath.

"You're probably right. I'm sorry. I feel all my worrying that something might happen actually _caused_ something to happen."

"I don't think that's it," Ruby says gently. "I _was_ kinda too excited about shooting this part today. I probably could've been paying a bit more attention to what I was doing." Weiss growls softly, and Ruby yelps. "I'm sorry! It won't happen again! Promise!"

"It'd better not..."

At last they ease apart, and Ruby reaches out to brush away the last of Weiss' tears. Ultimately, it's decided they'll pick up from here tomorrow and everyone is released early for the evening. Blake and Yang join them on their way back to the trailer.

"Tomorrow's gonna be fun!" Ruby is saying to Blake. "Mr. Torchwick is gonna get eaten!"

"Sounds super fun," Blake muses.

Meanwhile, Yang has slid closer to Weiss and slung an arm around her shoulders.

"Glad to know you're there to look out for Ruby if I'm not."

"It's a pleasure," she grumbles.

"Buuut~" Yang hums. "You _do_ know why you're so worried about her all the time, right?"

"Yang-"

"It's because you li-ow!" She cuts off when Weiss grabs her ear and starts pulling. "Okay, okay, uncle!"

"What's that?" Ruby calls over. "Yang, Uncle Qrow is back there!"

"It's nothing," Yang says with a smirk. Weiss releases her ear and flicks her forehead instead.

They wind down together in their trailer after dinner and put on a movie. Blake and Yang fall asleep together on the couch first. Ruby proclaims she's going to stay up until sunrise, until Weiss grabs her by the arm and drags her to bed.

But she doesn't make her climb up to the top bunk. Instead, she pulls Ruby down with her into Weiss' own bed.

"We wouldn't want you falling off from up there, now would we?"

Ruby laughs sheepishly and doesn't argue one bit. She snuggles up next to Weiss, wishes her goodnight, and is asleep within minutes.

Weiss waits until she knows she's sleeping before bending down to plant a soft kiss in her hair.

"Dolt."

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**A/N: Of course Weiss is a worrywart. She's just trying to be the best teammate and friend ever, okay!**

**Next chapter is about two characters I personally have never written before!**

**Please review!**


	3. Ozpin and Salem

**This chapter was definitely a bit tricky (but still fun) to write. I've never written Ozpin nor Salem rather extensively even with their canon personalities, so to write a whole chapter about them being an actual nice amiable couple was interesting.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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Chapter 3. Ozpin and Salem

The idea for Ozpin's television series came to him at a young age. He hadn't known much about directing, producing, or filming at the time, but had decided to pursue his goal nonetheless.

Salem had been with him every step of the way. They'd met in a film and media colleg class, where Ozpin had told her of his ideas and ambitions, and she'd taken immediate interest. It had been a long and difficult journey to get this far with mainly just the two of them, but they'd managed to round up a few more supportive classmates along the way, like Glynda, James, Bartholomew, and Peter.

And eventually they'd gotten to where they are now, shooting one of the most popular television series of the year.

All of Ozpin's crew tend to take turns directing, producing, and writing scripts to help develop the characters and the storyline. Ozpin has spent many nights awake in the trailer he shares with Salem and the others, toiling away for hours over potential ideas. The waste bin is typically filled to the brim with rejected plot lines and dialogues.

In recent weeks, they've been filming the second season of their show, and he'd already gotten confirmation that a third had been green-lit.

Presently, it's well into the evening after a successful day of filming. Ozpin has already showered and eaten supper, and now sits with a cup of coffee at his work desk, muttering to himself as he looks over plans and papers.

Salem has just finished drying her hair after her own shower, and now walks slowly out of the bathroom. James, Peter, and Bartholomew are on the couch watching TV and chortling over drinks. Glynda is with them and seems to be supervising while simultaneously reading.

Salem leaves them be and heads to the kitchen to pour a hot cup of coffee, then heads down to Ozpin's quieter room. She finds him there as usual, hunched over his desk, debating with himself. She gives a soft knock, but he's too focused to hear. She rolls her eyes helplessly and calls out.

"Oz."

"Hm? Oh, come in. I'm just thinking about what to do for the big fight scene in season 3."

Salem enters and goes to him, noting the coffee mug on his desk had lost its steam some time ago. She replaces it with the fresh, warm mug. Ozpin smiles briefly up at her.

"Thank you. Now, would you care to assist me with this scene? I'm not quite sure how I want it to play out. The monsters will be attacking Beacon and I need the teams split up, but how?"

Salem pulls over a chair and sits beside him.

"This is the scene that eventually leads up to your own 'death', isn't that right?"

He smirks.

"Indeed it is. Don't you worry though, I'll be reincarnated-"

"-in a charming little farm boy," Salem finishes. "Yes, I've heard. Any idea as to when you'll start casting for the role?"

"Not just yet. We've still got some time. But I already have the boy's character planned out."

"That's wonderful." Salem rests a hand on his arm. "But why don't we figure out season 3 before we get into 5 or 6?"

"Yes, yes, you're absolutely right. So what do you think about breaking up the teams? Which characters should be together? Shall I separate Miss Xaio Long and Miss Belladonna's characters? This will be when Mr. Tauros wrecks his havoc after all."

"That boy," Salem muses. "I can still hardly believe he plays the murderous part so well when in reality he's so sweet."

"Good acting," Ozpin proclaims. "That's why I chose him. That's why I chose all of them. They're a talented bunch. I'm almost sorry to have to be writing off Mr. Torchwick and Miss Nikos so soon, but they've got their own career paths to pursue, and I can't allow myself to get in their way."

"That's right," Salem agrees, shifting a bit closer to peer over his shoulder. "You've already written her death scene, haven't you?"

"Indeed I have. I'm sure Miss Fall will do a terrifically stunning job with it."

"She always does."

There's a moment of pause as Ozpin picks up the fresh mug of coffee and takes a sip.

"Mm. So yes, back to the matter at hand. How shall I have Mr. Tauros maim Miss Xiao Long's character? I know it has to be him, but under what circumstances? I was thinking he attacks her unfairly when she's already occupied with the Grimm."

Salem thinks for a moment. She considers the actresses themselves and their newfound relationship. An inkling of an idea sparks in her mind.

"What if..." She trails off for a moment to think. Ozpin knows she's onto something. She starts tapping her fingers against his arm in a telltale sign that she's concocting something devious, be it in a good or bad way. He readies a pen and some paper and gives her his full attention.

"Go on."

Salem's lips curve up into a smile, one that is a bit devilish.

"Why don't we have Miss Xiao Long get injured for Miss Belladonna's sake? While trying to protect her?"

Ozpin perks up.

"Yes, yes! Not only would that open up the opportunity for some animosity between her and Mr. Tauros, but it will also call for great feelings of guilt from Miss Belladonna. When the team splits up, she'll be the first to run off, without saying so much as a word to anyone."

"And-" Salem continues, still smirking. "It will allow for a potentially deeper bond to perhaps form between their characters at a later point in time. The resolution, I mean."

"Indeed you're right. I can see it happening already. They can both stand together to face off against Mr. Tauros in their final battle." He's already taking notes down, writing quickly and sloppily as ideas begin coming to him. Salem pats his shoulder and smoothes out a bit of his hair for him.

"It seems only fair we let the two of them have a bit of a romance with their characters as well, don't you think? They do make an adorable couple."

"I agree. I'm very relieved they finally made it official." He looks around a bit before lowering his voice. "I know I shouldn't talk about my actors like this, but I'll be honest with you, it was nearly driving me mad. They clearly had a liking for one another since they first came on set."

"Oh, it was driving us all mad, Oz. Don't you worry. They were the first to make things official, but we've got several more budding romances between our cast members that have yet to blossom."

"Oh?" He raises and eyebrow and takes another sip of coffee. "Do tell. You've always been a very skilled observer."

Salem takes the compliment with a flip of her hair.

"Well, for starters Miss Rose and Miss Schnee seem to have a little something. I'm not sure if either of them will ever realize it, though. Then there's Miss Scarlatina and Miss Adel, Miss Sustrai and Mr. Black, and clearly Miss Valkyrie and Mr. Lie Ren."

"Really?" Ozpin mumbles. "Well that last one was a bit of a giveaway, but I wasn't so sure about the others. Does Miss Nikos happen to have an interest in Mr. Arc? Because in the filming, their characters will have a fleeting romance."

"I'm afraid not," Salem says. "But there is someone else with eyes for Miss Nikos."

"I'm intrigued. It's only right I should be informed so I can make adjustments in the writing."

"Oh, please. You just like to gossip and try to play match-maker with the children." Salem gives him a light push and he chuckles. "But if you must know," she continues. "Let's just say it's someone who won't ever _tell_ Miss Nikos how they feel about her."

"You don't mean...?"

"In fact I do."

"Color me surprised. I hadn't the slightest clue. Though sadly with how events will be progressing for Miss Niko's character to be leaving so soon, I'm sorry to say there won't be ample time or reason to have those two share any significant scenes together."

"That's fine, Ozpin. I believe those two are aware enough of their feelings to be able to act on them before very much longer."

"You don't say..." He trails off, then jots down a few more notes before looking back to her. "Any other observations you'd like to report, my lady?"

"Oh, yes. There was one more couple..." With a smile she leans forward and leaves a soft kiss on his lips. "Mm, now who was it...?"

"It's a shame you can't remember." Ozpin puts his pen and paper down and takes both of her hands instead. He brushes their noses together before kissing her in turn. The kiss tastes like coffee. When they part, Salem chuckles again.

"Is it wrong of us to give ourselves such major opposing roles in this story?"

"What? You mean how our characters begin to question the gods of Life and Death themselves, challenge their own morality and concepts of reincarnation, and end up on opposites sides of the same coin trying to defeat one another, while in reality we are nothing more than college sweethearts?"

"That's mostly what I was getting at, yes."

"On the contrary," Ozpin says. "I think it's very fun."

"I suppose you're right."

"But you won't come in for a few more seasons, my dear. So until then please keep your murderous tendencies against a group of confused teenagers to a minimum."

"I'll do my best." She moves her chair a little closer and wraps an arm around his elbow, slouching against him slightly as she takes a sip of his coffee. "Which scene are you working on next? Maybe I can offer some insight."

"Perfect. I was thinking about how the teams will reunite after the season apart-"

"Have we even been green-lit that far in advance?"

"Well, no... but-"

"I know it's very exciting Ozpin, but let's take it one step at a time, shall we?"

"Yes, I suppose you're right."

They chat over ideas and coffee well into the night. The noise in the main room eventually dies down. James, Peter, and Bartholomew end up snoring on the couch together. Glynda begrudgingly drapes a blanket over them before folding her book under her arm and heading off to her room for bed.

And despite all the coffee, Ozpin ends up dozing off shortly afterward. Salem carefully arranges everything on his desk as she knows he'd like it, then slowly picks him up to carry him to bed. She turns off the light and lies down beside him with a smile, wondering what brilliant ideas of his she'll get to see come to life next.

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**A/N: I have no idea what to think of this chapter cuz I have no idea how to portray their relationship like this haha. Was it good? Did it makes sense? **

**Wondering about Pyrrha's love interest? Don't worry, that'll be covered next!**

**Please review!**


	4. Neo and Pyrrha

**Yes, some people guessed correctly about Pyrrha's love interest in this little AU! There will be a wee bit of drama attached, but enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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Chapter 4. Neo and Pyrrha

Working on-set to film a popular fantasy television series has plenty of perks and benefits. The actors typically develop strong, almost familial bonds with their fellows, and in some cases it even grows beyond that to the point of romance.

But there are of course downsides to the job as well, one of the most notable being when a beloved cast or crew member has to leave production. In Penny's case, it was to pursue an education in mechanics and engineering. In Roman's, it was to open up his own businesses. And for Pyrrha, it was to pursue a career in modeling.

Until now, that had been a part-time occupation of hers since a rather young age, and she'd also participated in other fields such as acting. But she had made her intentions clear to Ozpin and his crew when she'd first started acting for RWBY; that she didn't intend to stay past the second or third season.

And of course at the time everyone had agreed to and respected her wishes. But that still doesn't make it any easier for them all to consider saying goodbye at the present time.

Now, Pyrrha's final days of acting alongside them are upon the crew, and everyone is feeling it. They try to spend as much time with her as possible, both on and off the set, killing free time together playing games or going out to eat.

Everyone takes the blow of a friend leaving with different levels of sadness.

But there is one person who is perhaps a bit more disheartened than the rest.

Alongside Mercury and Emerald, Neo is one of the few teenagers on set to play a villain's roll, hence she spends a lot of her time with adults like Roman, Cinder, and Salem. It's been a bit difficult for her to get closer and bond with the actors her own age.

Of course she is always invited to their dinners and game nights, and often always attends, but that's when her muteness kicks in to set her back even further. They never see her signed or written jokes over the laughter induced by someone else's. Many of them know a bit of her language, but she simply never got ample time to bond with most of them as deeply as they bonded with each other.

There was only one other person her age on-set who was more mindful of Neo than anyone else.

Pyrrha was always polite to and considerate of her. On their first day of filming and shooting, when they'd gone around giving introductions, Pyrrha's brilliant smile and sing-songy voice had Neo's heart fluttering. And then there had been many times in between as well, when Pyrrha had come to her specifically asking her if she needed help with one thing or another, or even restating what Neo had signed to ensure everyone else was aware of what she wanted to get across.

Pyrrha had always been there helping her and supporting her since day one. Neo believed she did the same for all of their other friends as well, but whenever Pyrrha did it for _her_, it made her feel special.

Neo had really come to like her. A lot. But months upon months of shooting together had kept them on the same level of friendship as they'd started out on.

And before Neo knew it, Pyrrha's last day on-set was upon them, and she's still never told Pyrrha how she feels.

Neo wakes this morning with a horrible sense of dread filling her stomach. She staggers out of bed and just barely manages to freshen up and get dressed, but when she joins Emerald and Mercury at the breakfast table, she hardly eats a thing. Mercury is stuffing a forkful of pancakes into his face while Emerald eats much more slowly, glancing over at Neo worriedly. Neo just sighs and picks half-heartedly at her food.

Emerald has been with her since the beginning, and she's caught on about Neo's feeling for Pyrrha. But she isn't sure how to help her feel better now. She keeps her voice gentle as she moves her chair closer and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, Neo-"

"What's gotten into you?" Mercury butts in unceremoniously. "Not your breakfast, that's for sure. Better not let all that go to waste."

Emerald snarls and rounds on him.

"The only thing that'll be going to waste is _you_ if you don't shut up, you idiot!"

"Wow, geez, okay! The hell's your problem..."

Emerald sends him a glare so intense it effectively chases him away, leaving the girls alone at the table. Emerald turns back to Neo and lowers her voice again.

"Don't mind that moron. What's the matter? Is it... Pyrrha...?"

Neo simply lifts her head and gives Emerald a drowning look. Emerald flinches.

"Yeah, I figured. Today's her last day. Once they film her character's death scene she's leaving. You never got to tell her how you feel, did you?"

Neo sighs and shakes her head. Emerald pats her shoulder.

"Well, you've still got time if that's something you wanna do. Just think about it."

And Neo thinks about it. She thinks about it all day long, so much that she considers herself lucky she doesn't have any scenes to film herself, because she knows she would've messed everything up with how distracted she is.

She thinks about telling Pyrrha how she feels, but in every scenario she considers, she just can't see it becoming a reality. She's too nervous, too uncertain. Telling Pyrrha her feelings might only weigh the other girl down, make her feel guilty for leaving the set, and that's the last thing Neo wants. She doesn't want her feelings to get in the way of Pyrrha's dreams.

But she also knows that if she doesn't tell Pyrrha how she feels, it's going to eat away at her and distract her for a long time to come.

She has to do it. She has to tell her. Today. Before it's too late.

Neo ponders all day on how she should do it; in sign, in writing, in actions...

Before she knows it, it's announced that Pyrrha's final scene will be filmed. Everyone who's free heads over to that set to observe, but Neo hesitates. Her stomach feels too knotted up, and she remains frozen where she stands for a moment.

Until she spots Emerald and Mercury heading over to where Pyrrha will be filming. Emerald catches Neo's eye with a compelling look and nods her head in that direction.

That's when Neo feels a hand on her head. She turns around to find Mr. Torchwick smiling sadly down at her.

"C'mon, kiddo. It's now or never."

She has no idea how he knows about her feelings toward Pyrrha, but seeing him now reminds her that she'll be losing him soon, too. He'll be leaving the set in only a few more days, and remembering that only makes Neo all the more miserable. She sniffles, though there are no tears, and follows alongside him to where the cameras are being set up.

Neo takes a seat on one of the benches, her eyes traveling around the dozens of people until she finds the one she's been thinking about all day.

Pyrrha looks as gallant as ever, and even more so in her costume that consists of armor and weaponry. She's beaming and smiling as she always is, even in knowing her beloved character is about to perish at Cinder's hands.

Neo curls her hands in her lap anxiously. She can't believe this is the last time she's going to see Pyrrha act.

Pyrrha sweeps her gaze around and eventually catches Neo's eye. She smiles and gives a wave. Neo jolts, scrambling to use her hands to sign out 'good luck.'

Ozpin calls for attention, and the filming begins.

Watching Pyrrha in her mock fights against Cinder, hearing her voice again now, knowing this will be the last time... It's all too heartbreaking for Neo. She's going to miss her so much. _Too_ much. She has to tell her how she feels...

The scene consists of several cuts and do-overs, but not as many as most other actors need. Pyrrha is just about flawless on every delivery every time. Cinder contrasts her perfectly, ruthless and cunning in the face of Pyrrha's purity and righteousness.

Every moment that passes by is one that Neo is painfully aware as being one of the last she'll ever get to see of Pyrrha on this set. It's all so upsetting to her, and her mess of feelings aren't helping one bit.

By the time Cinder has brought Pyrrha to her knees to give her final speech, Neo has silent tears running down her face. Pyrrha slumps forward in her character's demise, and Ozpin calls it a wrap.

"Excellent job, ladies. Now then, everyone please get ready for Miss Niko's celebratory final supper with us this evening."

Everyone goes up to Pyrrha to congratulate her and give her words of encouragement for when she leaves. She sees all of the friends and people she's filmed and grown with over the years; from Jaune's group to Ruby's to Sun's, and everyone else in between.

All except for one person.

Pyrrha searches for her through the crowds, seeking out the telltale mixture of pink and brown and white. She searches and searches while still giving her attention to anyone else who comes up to her.

And she finds her at long last, hunched over herself on a bench, looking smaller than ever before. By the shaking of her shoulders, Pyrrha can tell she's crying.

Until now, Pyrrha has been overcome with a sense of accomplishment, bittersweet as it may have been. But now it's washed away for concern and dismay. She slips out of the crowds and hurries to her, dropping her props along the way before getting down on one knee in front of her, calling softly.

"Neo...?"

Neo jolts, lifting her tearstained face from where it had been in her hands, revealing the misery in her mis-matched gaze, misery that is instantly accompanied by shock. She bites her lip, and a tiny sob comes out. Pyrrha gently places both hands on the girl's knees, her green eyes imploring.

"Neo, what's the matter? Are you all right? I'm sorry it took me this long to find you."

Neo just shakes her head, and more tears fall onto Pyrrha's knuckles. She doesn't know what to convey, or how to convey it. Too many emotions are coming over her all at once. She just cries more, trying to move her hands to sign, but not much comes of it.

But Pyrrha can understand her nonetheless. She smiles sadly and reaches out, wrapping both arms around Neo's smaller frame.

"I'm going to miss you too."

Neo cries harder, and her lack of voice only makes it seem that much more painful for her to suffer in silence.

Pyrrha strokes through the girl's hair gently. Her farewell dinner isn't for another hour or so. So until then, she wants to spend time with Neo and talk with her a little.

Pyrrha turns around to give Neo her back, gently coaxing her forward. Neo hugs her neck and buries her face into Pyrrha's shoulder. Pyrrha secures her legs and stands with the crying girl on her back, piggybacking her quietly back to Neo's trailer.

Neo cries the whole way there, until Pyrrha pushes her way in, apologizes for intruding, and brings Neo all the way to her bed. Pyrrha helps her down, having her sit on the edge, while Pyrrha herself just kneels in front of her once again. She reaches up to wipe Neo's tears away, but more just keep coming.

It takes a while, but Neo eventually gets ahold of herself – as much as she possibly can, given the situation. Pyrrha catches a few more of her tears and holds her hands.

"I'm sorry. I know goodbyes are hard for everyone, but I didn't know it would be this difficult for you. I'll be back to visit plenty, just like Penny does. I promise. I'm going to miss all of my friends as much as they're going to miss me."

But Neo shakes her head. She slips her hands away from Pyrrha's to sign with trembling fingers:

_ 'There's more to it than that.' _

Pyrrha tilts her head.

"More to it? What do you mean?"

Neo doesn't know how she can convey it when she's already such a mess. Putting signed or written words to it would be too sloppy and take too long.

So she just acts. Leaning in, she presses a small kiss to Pyrrha's cheek. Pyrrha gasps.

"Oh! Oh, Neo..." She pulls her into another hug. Neo fits perfectly against her. Pyrrha sighs. "I'm sorry if it only makes you sadder to hear me say this, but that makes me so happy. I... I feel the same way about you... But I thought that telling you that before leaving would only hurt you more... I'm so sorry..."

Both girls bury themselves in each other's arms, regretting not conveying their feelings sooner, but relieved to have done it at all.

They stay that way until it's nearly time for the farewell dinner. Neo doesn't want to let Pyrrha go, as if keeping her here will extend the time they have together.

But she can't keep Pyrrha from her dream job. Neo would never forgive herself if she was so selfish. So she lets Pyrrha go, but not without one more kiss to her cheek. Pyrrha wipes her eyes and then Neo's, kissing her forehead.

"Thank you, Neo. Perhaps we won't get to see each other every day anymore, but we'll still se each other plenty. I can _promise_ you that."

Neo nods, but sniffles some more. Pyrrha smiles.

"You silly girl. Don't you realize what this means? Yes, I may be leaving the set, but... you've won, Neo! You've got me now! We can be together in a way we've never been together before, even if we're apart!"

Neo's eyes widen a little bit. She swallows, fingers shaking as she signs back.

_'You mean we can be-?'_

"Yes!" Pyrrha beams. "We're girlfriends now!" Pyrrha hugs her again in her glee, giggling in delight.

Neo had been so focused on her sadness of Pyrrha leaving that she didn't even fully realize the brighter side of things until now. She'd gotten her feelings across. And even better, Pyrrha had reciprocated.

Finally, for the first time in days since Pyrrha's departure had been weighing on her mind, Neo smiles. She smiles and hugs Pyrrha – her girlfriend – as tightly as she can. Her tears of sadness become tears of joy. She kisses Pyrrha's cheek once again, and Pyrrha kisses hers.

Though Pyrrha's acting career is coming to an end for now, her new relationship with Neo is only just beginning.

By the time the dinner is coming around, both girls compose and clean themselves up. They head to the restaurant together, hand-in-hand, earning many surprised gasps and words of congratulations from their peers once they arrive.

Four tables are filled with the members of their group as food and drinks are ordered, and everyone goes around to give a small speech for Pyrrha. They thank her for her time and talents and wish her well in her new field. And at the end of it all, Pyrrha stands up to speak.

"I cannot possibly express how grateful I am to have gotten the stupendous opportunity to work with all of you. I've learned so much and met so many amazing people. But this certainly isn't goodbye! I'll be back as often as I can. It'll almost feel like I never left at all! And with that, if you would, Mr. Torchwick."

Everyone holds their applause, puzzled at her invitation. Neo tilts her head, as confused as everyone else as Roman stands up beside Pyrrha.

"Thank you." He clears his throat and addresses the room. "Now, as you all know, I myself will be leaving the set soon as well. But what Miss Nikos and I haven't revealed until now is that our lines of work will be coinciding.

"As it turns out, some of my people know some of her people. As such, she's going to be modeling and working for _my _very own business! Commercials, ads, posters – the works! So don't you worry your pretty little heads! You won't be getting rid of us that easily! We'll be around all the time to check up on production and make sure old Ozpin here is doing his job right!"

Everyone cries out in shock and delight, applauding the announcement and relieved to hear the news. Knowing that even the people who are leaving aren't going far is a massive relief to everyone.

But especially Neo. She jumps up from her seat and throws her arms around both Roman and Pyrrha. The redheads both laugh as more cheers erupt. Roman ruffles Neo's hair.

"Don't you worry, missy. I'll be bringing you back the best designer pieces I come up with. Once Miss Nikos here models the best products and makes us rich, I'll have plenty of outfits comin' your way, free of charge! That goes for all of you! We'll be working closely with Ozpin's costume department in the future!"

Neo smiles up at him, and Roman grins back. Then, he nudges her toward Pyrrha, who scoops Neo up and kisses her full on the lips.

The room erupts in more applause, and the lively evening continues. Neo and Pyrrha stay close together, holding hands throughout the night.

Tonight might mark the last chapter of one book, but tomorrow will start a brand new story.

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**A/N: The cheesiest cutest little cliche I could come up with! You're welcome!**

**More to come...? Probably! Might be a break in between updates though.**

**Please review!**


	5. Velvet and Cardin

**Sorry for the wait on this, but we're back on it! Jack gave me a new idea to run with for this AU, and it's about the unlikely sibling duo of Velvet and Cardin! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.**

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Chapter 5.

Velvet's parents had died when she was very young. She'd never known them, and with most of her other relatives living extremely far away, she'd been turned over to an orphanage as a child.

At the time, most orphaned children there were Faunus, for one reason or another, so she got along with most of the other kids rather well, though there were a few human children there as well. The boys liked to pick on her in particular because of her long ears.

No matter where she was, inside the building learning how to read and write, or outside playing, if there were no adults watching, the human boys would bully her and pull her ears. She never told anyone either, because they said if she did she'd regret it. The orphanage was rather large, and the children outnumbered the caretakers, so the adults never had a clue, and the other Faunus children were too scared to step in and help.

Velvet had just gotten used to the torment, though she prayed every day that someone would adopt her and take her somewhere safe. It had gotten so bad that some of the fur was beginning to fall off because of all the yanking. She hated it. She just wanted to get out, even if it meant running away...

She'd been too scared to try anything as drastic as that, though, because she knew the risk of people hurting rather than helping her on the streets was very high. So she stayed where she was, trapped by necessity, hoping the day things would change would come soon.

And it did.

One day, a scraggly human boy was brought to the orphanage. Velvet heard that his parents had just run away together and left him. He was about her age, and was actually a bit shorter than she was, but her first instinct was still to fear him, based on how the others had treated her.

His name was Cardin, but Velvet never thought she'd need to know it.

The next time the other boys cornered her and started pulling her hair and ears, Cardin stumbled upon it all. Velvet expected him to join in. She shrunk back and whimpered quietly.

"Please... Please stop..."

But to her astonishment, Cardin rushed over yelling at the other boys.

"Hey! What are you doing? Stop it!"

They turned and sneered.

"Oh yeah? What are _you_ gonna do if we say no?"

"This!"

And Cardin lunged at them – all three of them – at once, punching and kicking and howling.

Velvet pressed back into the corner and cowered. The other boys punched Cardin back, but he never let up. Eventually, Velvet forgot about her fear for herself and it became fear for him. For the first time ever, she fought back, jumping on one boy's back and pulling him away.

"Stop it! Leave us alone!"

Together, she and Cardin fended off the others until the adults showed up. Cardin explained everything, and the boys at fault were reprimanded and punished for their crimes.

Velvet and Cardin were brought to the doctor on-site who patched up the scratches and put ointment on the bruises. They were given water and some snacks to help them wind down from it all.

Velvet sat quietly and took a sip of water while Cardin began wolfing down a sandwich. She flicked an ear and finally spoke her first words to him.

"Um... thank you."

The boy glanced at her from across the table with a questioning look.

"What? For doin' the right thing?"

Velvet put her cup down slowly.

"Well, it's just that... no one's ever done that for me before..."

Cardin gulped down another mouthful and grinned.

"Well then I'll be the first. Thanks for jumpin' on that guy. If you hadn't, he woulda decked me in the face."

The praise had Velvet smiling, and happy enough to pick up a cookie to nibble on.

They talked, told each other their names and about their lives and families thus far. Velvet had never spoken so much about herself all at once to any of the other children. She wondered what it was about Cardin that made it so easy. Maybe it was because when he smiled it didn't seem mean. It seemed real.

"So," he said after finishing another sandwich. "How old are you? Do you know?"

Velvet fiddled with her fingers in her lap.

"I'm either 7 or 8. No one ever found my birth certificate and my relatives don't even know for sure since they live so far away... What about you?"

"I'm 8!" he said proudly. "Gonna be 9 in a few more months. So that means I'm older!"

Velvet pouted a little bit at that.

"Well, I said I _might_ be 7, but I might _also_ be 8. So I could be older than you right now. I _am_ taller, aren't I?"

"Wh-?" He almost spit out his water. "H-Height's got nothin' to do with it!"

"Really? I think it might."

"No way! I'm older and that's that!"

"You sure don't act like it all the time."

"Hey, listen..."

They bantered and bantered before it turned into laughter.

They ended up sticking together with each other more than Cardin hung around with the human children and Velvet with the Faunus. They became very close, a friendship no one at the orphanage had ever seen or expected before.

And when they were both about 12 years old, the day finally came. An older Faunus couple who had been approved to adopt visited the orphanage. They met with many of the children, but had been particularly drawn to Velvet.

When they asked her if she would come live with them, she did something she never thought she'd do; she refused.

She refused her dream of finally being adopted and starting a new life.

She'd refused to go... unless they took Cardin too.

By that point they were already like brother and sister, and the orphanage staff agreed they would be better of together. The Faunus couple happily agreed.

And so Velvet and Cardin had happily left the orphanage.

They'd grown up together under the loving guidance of their new parents. Cardin's birthday was known to be May 14th, while Velvet's was unknown. So she chose for it to be on May 13th and insisted she was older by one day.

Cardin had pouted for almost an entire month after that.

They'd gone to school together as siblings with their new parents' last name. When they'd turned 18, they'd legally changed their last names back to Scarlatina and Winchester, not out of any disrespect for their parents, but simply because they each wanted to keep a little bit of their pasts with them.

They'd stuck together even until now...

. . .

Velvet wakes up early this morning, finding Coco curled up at her side and snoring softly. She pokes her girlfriend's cheek softly before leaning down to give her a kiss.

"Time to get up, Coco. We've got things to do."

"Ugghh, five more minutes..."

"No can do, I'm afraid."

"Fine. But only because it's you."

They get each other out of bed and begin their morning routine around the trailer. The boys who play their teammates in the show – Fox and Yatsuhashi – stumble out from their room and greet the girls.

After showering, Velvet gets into her set costume and sits down for breakfast with Coco and the others. They begin discussing today's busy schedule for both filming and makeup. When they've just finished eating, a knock comes at the door. Coco waves the others to stay put.

"I got it."

Velvet helps the boys tidy up and clean the plates, but her ear flicks at the sound of her name.

"Hey, Velves? It's for you."

Velvet puts everything down and rounds the corner to see who it is. A smile spreads across her face.

"Cardin!"

He's dressed in his costume as well, hair slicked back and made to look intimidating and mean. But the second he spots his little sister running over, he grins like an idiot.

"There you are!" He opens his arms and Velvet throws herself right into them, giggling. He lifts her off her feet a bit before putting her back down.

"I'm still getting used to that," she laughs. "You only _just_ got to be taller than me."

"What? You're losin' it. I got taller than you a solid 6 years ago."

"Mm, I think 6 is being a bit generous..."

"Hey, lemme have this, will ya?"

"I'd say I'm still taller than you now, actually."

"Hey, we already said ears don't count!"

Coco chuckles and gives Cardin a light friendly punch on the shoulder.

"Good ta see ya, champ. Maybe actually stop by for your makeup appointments on time, huh?"

"Yeah, yeah..."

"At least _try_ to sound like you mean it." With this Coco meanders back into the kitchen, leaving the siblings to themselves.

"So," Velvet says. "What brings you by so early?"

"Would you believe it?" Cardin groans. "Ozpin's saying he might wanna shoot another scene of our characters fighting. Or, y'know, mine just bullying yours some more. Somethin' about makin' the audience get more attached to you so it's more of a victory when you eventually tell me to eat shit."

"Oh, my. Well I hope I don't have to phrase it exactly like that," she muses. "And I hate to remind you, but you _did_ get cast as a bully, Cardin."

"I know. I'm still tryin' to convince Ozpin to let me have a turning point and eventually shape up, but he hasn't gotten back to me on it..." He pouts, an expression that hasn't changed much since they were kids. Velvet reaches up to pat his head.

"It's all an act," she reminds him. "Everyone knows you're exactly the opposite in reality. You're the strongest, sweetest, most considerate little brother ever."

"Hey, you can't play that card. You _know_ you're younger than me."

"Do I? Our birthdays say otherwise."

"You _chose_ your birthday, you cheater..."

Velvet laughs, and Cardin crosses his arms. Once she's had her fun, Velvet nudges him.

"Don't worry about the show. You can tug on my ears a bit. It's what bullies do. And trust me, you're the kindest bully I've ever known."

"...I guess so," he sighs. "Maybe there's still hope for me. No matter what Ozpin does to _my_ character, at least I'll never have it as bad as Adam."

"Oh, yes, that is unfortunate. Ozpin must have a knack for casting the nicest guys as the worst villains."

"Let's just hope he gives me a break..."

By now the others are ready to head out, so the group of five goes together. Velvet and Cardin are greeted by many 'good mornings' along the way.

Eventually Coco leaves Velvet with a kiss and drags Fox and Yatsuhashi into the makeup trailer to do her job. Velvet's ears flick to the sound of Blake's voice nearby.

"Velvet! Do you want to practice with us?"

At the same time, Cardin's friend Russel calls for him.

"Hey, man, help us with this fight scene!"

Velvet and Cardin turn back to each other and smile.

"See you later, little brother."

She strains up to kiss his cheek. Cardin grumbles and ruffles her hair.

"Shut up..."

They turn and head off for now and get ready for another day.

* * *

**A/N: This one gave me a bit of trouble just with jumping around between timelines and tenses, but I hope I still got the main point across. The only way I could fathom them being brother/sister is by adoption, and I wanted to make Cardin like Adam; a villain on the cast, but in reality a really nice guy.**

**Who knows what could be next?**

**Please review!**


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